Jake stood in the middle of the department store, his eyes scanning the shelves. Canned goods, bottled water, and packs of dried food were stacked high on the shelves, and though the place was mostly deserted, he knew this wasn't going to last long.
With the zombies and mutated creatures roaming the streets, finding a safe place to stay wasn't going to be easy.
Ava had gone off to search for a few more supplies, leaving Jake to guard their position. As he stood by the window, peering through the broken glass at the wreckage outside, a sudden, unfamiliar sensation washed over him.
He felt it deep within his bones—an urge, a pull, as if something was calling to him.
The system had activated again, this time with a notification.
{New Mission Available.}
Jake opened his interface, eyes narrowing as he read the message.
{Mission: Clear the area of zombies and monsters within a one-mile radius. Objective: Eliminate the threat. Reward: 500 System Points.}
"Now this is something." Jake smirked. Another mission. Another opportunity to grow stronger.
"Alright, let's see what I can do with these powers." He muttered under his breath, feeling a surge of excitement. He had already experienced a taste of the system's benefits, but this was different. He was starting to understand the power it gave him, and he was eager to put it to use.
With Ava still out of sight, Jake decided to take action immediately. He'd leave the rest of the supplies to her, but he would clear the area, starting with the zombies at the front of the store. It was a perfect way to test the limits of his new abilities.
He stepped out into the wrecked street, his bat firmly gripped in his hands. His eyes scanned the area, and he could feel the presence of the monsters, the infected.
The zombies were easy enough to spot, their decomposing forms stumbling mindlessly down the street. But the mutated creatures—the ones that had once been animals—were a different story. They were faster, stronger, and much more unpredictable. They were what worried him.
Jake didn't hesitate. He moved swiftly, circling the first zombie he saw and swinging the bat with precision.
Creak!
The sound of bone shattering echoed through the street as he struck it down in one blow.
{1 Zombie Killed. Points Earned: 50}
A surge of satisfaction coursed through him, and his body seemed to hum with newfound energy. It was working. The system was giving him the means to survive, to grow stronger. And he could feel it.
He wasn't just some helpless survivor anymore. He was something more.
One by one, he cleared out the zombies that wandered too close. But just as he thought he was getting the hang of it, a sudden noise drew his attention.
Growl!
A low growl echoed from the alley, and a massive creature stepped into the street. It was an enormous, mutated bear, its fur matted and dark, eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger. It had mutated into a beast far larger than any normal bear, with jagged claws and teeth that looked capable of tearing through steel.
Jake's heart raced. This wasn't like the zombies. This was a monster, and it was more dangerous than anything he had faced so far.
But he wasn't afraid. He'd been given this power for a reason, and it was time to test it.
Swish!
Without a second thought, Jake charged at the bear, swinging his bat with all his strength. The bear snarled and swiped its massive paw at him, but Jake was fast. He ducked under the swipe, the bear's claws missing him by inches.
He used the momentum to swing the bat directly at the beast's head.
Bang!
The impact was deafening, and for a moment, Jake thought the bat would break under the force. But the bear staggered back, stunned but still standing. Jake felt a rush of adrenaline as the system updated again.
{1 Mutated Creature Killed. Points Earned: 150}
He wasn't done yet. Another bear appeared out of nowhere and lunged at him, and this time Jake dodged to the side, letting it crash into the ground. He took a deep breath, feeling the system's power surging through him. His muscles were stronger now, his reflexes faster.
He swung the bat again, aiming for the bear's exposed neck.
Critical Hit!
Growl!
The bat connected with a sickening crunch, and the bear let out a final roar before crumpling to the ground, lifeless.
Jake stood over the beast, panting heavily, his body alive with energy. He had done it. He had taken down a mutated creature, and with it, he had proven to himself that he was no longer just a survivor. He was a force to be reckoned with.
{Mission Complete. Points Reward: 500 System Points}
Jake grinned. He had earned the points, and more importantly, he had gained a sense of power. But this was just the beginning. He could feel it—he was going to need every bit of strength he could muster to survive in this world, especially if he planned on taking control of it.
He turned back toward the department store, eager to see Ava and share the news. But as he approached, something else caught his attention. A figure in the distance—another woman. She looked like she was on the run, and from the way she was stumbling, it didn't look like she was doing well.
Jake's instincts kicked in again. There was no way he was going to let another person suffer if he could help. He started to move toward her, but as he got closer, he realized something.
The woman wasn't alone.
Behind her, a pack of mutated dogs—three of them—were hot on her heels, their snarls echoing through the streets. Jake could see their eyes glinting with hunger, and his heart began to race.
This wasn't going to be easy.